Family/Marriage Passed General Election
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PEAPAC Recommends: YES

Govt must discourage sin (homosexuality); parents need help preparing children for godly marriage; dishonoring to God to call wrong right.

Summary

Constitutionally defines marriage as between one man and one woman.

Biblical Reasoning

First, it is the job of the government to discourage sinful actions such as homosexuality (1 Cor. 6:9; Rom. 1:26; 1 Tim. 1:10; Lev. 18:22). Second, it is the job of parents to prepare their children for godly marriages. State approval of same-sex marriages would make this job harder.

Third, it is the job of all of us to discourage each other from engaging in self-destructive actions, including same-sex intimate relationships. Fourth, it is our job to honor God in all that we do. It is dishonoring to God to call what is wrong right.

1 Corinthians 6:9 — “it is the job of the government to discourage sinful actions such as homosexuality”
Romans 1:26 — “it is the job of the government to discourage sinful actions such as homosexuality”
1 Timothy 1:10 — “it is the job of the government to discourage sinful actions such as homosexuality”
Leviticus 18:22 — “it is the job of the government to discourage sinful actions such as homosexuality”

Election Results

57%
43%
YesNo

Voters approved the constitutional amendment defining marriage as one man, one woman (57% Yes), though it was overturned by federal courts in 2014.

Full PEAPAC Analysis

PEAPAC Explanation: This would change our Constitution to ensure that the traditional and current definition of marriage be retained. That definition, that marriage is between one man and one woman, prohibits same-sex and polygamous marriages.

PEAPAC Comment: For two centuries, our country’s laws, reflecting Biblical standards, have said that marriage must be between a man and a woman. Current Oregon law says the same thing. But now, some liberal bureaucrats and activist judges have tried to legalize same-sex marriages by making Constitutional arguments. This Measure makes clear in our Constitution what our laws have always said – marriage is only between a man and a woman. We support this for the following reasons:

First, it is the job of the government to discourage sinful actions such as homosexuality (1 Cor. 6:9; Rom. 1:26; 1 Tim. 1:10; Lev. 18:22). Second, it is the job of parents to prepare their children for godly marriages. State approval of same-sex marriages would make this job harder. Third, it is the job of all of us to discourage each other from engaging in self-destructive actions, including same-sex intimate relationships. Fourth, it is our job to honor God in all that we do. It is dishonoring to God to call what is wrong right. Since abortion’s legalization, our children, friends and communities have become more accepting of this Biblically unacceptable practice. Now, another practice that is wrong, same-sex marriage, is on the verge of receiving government approval, leading increasingly to general societal approval. To prevent this, we strongly urge a Yes vote on Measure 36.

← PreviousMeasure 35 (2004)